Born and raised in Vault 101 all his life and being under the care of his mother Ellen, a notorious alcoholic who neglected to oversee her son's negative maturing,[Non-game 1] Butch has been forced to put on a mask as a boorish, overbearing bully to cover up his deep-seated feelings of inadequacy due to not knowing his father despite living in a Vault with a close-knit community.
On July 13, 2268, when he was ten years old,[1] he attended the tenth birthday party of the Lone Wanderer despite not liking them, and only because his mother insisted on it.[2] During the party, Butch held a small meeting with his only two friends, Wally Mack and Paul Hannon Jr., to toss around ideas for a name for their gang,[3] which later would be decided to be the "Tunnel Snakes" while rejecting other names such as "Vault Dwellers."[4] He also attempted to strongarm the Wanderer into giving up the sweetroll they got from Lucy Palmer.
Six years later, on August 3, 2274, on their way to take their G.O.A.T. exam, the Wanderer found Butch and the Tunnel Snakes in the midst of verbally harassing Amata,[5][6] which they might have interfered in, either persuading Butch to leave or getting into a fistfight with his gang. On the same day, Butch's own attempt at the G.O.A.T. exam determined his future career in the Vault was to be a hairdresser.[7]
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
Interactions
This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed.
Butch becomes non-essential during Escape! and he can optionally be killed before leaving Vault 101, preventing him from appearing during Trouble on the Homefront and becoming a companion later.
If Trouble on the Homefront was completed by either opening or destroying Vault 101, and Butch was left alive, he can be found residing in the Muddy Rudder in Rivet City. He can be recruited as a companion only while the player character has NeutralKarma.
Companion
Butch can give the Lone Wanderer a haircut during Trouble on the Homefront, and if recruited as a companion, also at any time during their travels.
If separated from the player character, Butch will return to the Muddy Rudder.
If he is separated from the player character, when trying to recruit him again, the player character will have to have Neutral Karma again. Otherwise, Butch will refuse to join.
He has different response to trying to hire him with Evil[8] or Good[9] Karma.
Butch is one of two companions in Fallout 3 requiring Neutral Karma to be recruited, along with Sergeant RL-3.
Butch has a secret fear of radroaches, which he can reveal during Escape!.[10]
Killing Butch in the Muddy Rudder, after he refuses to join the Lone Wanderer's party, does not turn the bar's occupants hostile.
Unlike all other followers, Butch must have at least one round of 10mm ammunition in his inventory to use his default weapon. However, he will not actually use up ammunition when firing the weapon.
Butch will occasionally mention needing some sunglasses while idle or walking around with the Lone Wanderer.[11] He will continue to speak this line, even after he received and equipped sunglasses.
Despite stating he wants to form a gang, if one attempts to recruit Butch while already having an active companion, he refuses.[12]
Butch will be flirty with a female Lone Wanderer when talking about his following distance.[14]
A hallucination of Butch is encountered in Vault 106, during the fight with the survivor.
If Butch is an active companion during Take It Back!, regardless of whether Broken Steel is installed or not, he will refuse to enter the irradiated chamber to activate the purifier if asked.[15]
"Hell yeah, I do! I could be out there and kicking butt in my own gang and everything. The Tunnel Snakes could ride again! Or, y'know, slither again. Whatever!"
Butch's last name, DeLoria, is a Native American surname associated with the Dakota people, though it is commonly spelled Deloria, with the L decapitalized. The change to a capitalized DeLoria evokes surnames beginning with "De" that are common in Romance languages.
Butch's appearance evokes the style of the 1950s American greaser subculture.
Butch trying to steal the sweetroll during the birthday party is a direct reference to one of the character creation questions asked in the first three The Elder Scrolls games.[Non-game 2]
Bugs
Playstation 3Xbox 360 If the player character has Fawkes as a companion and enters the Muddy Rudder, Fawkes and Butch will instantly turn hostile towards each other.[verified]
↑ 1.01.1The Lone Wanderer: "Mrs. Palmer said I didn't have to share. Since it's my birthday..." Butch DeLoria: "'Mrs. Palmer said I didn't have to share'... Who's talking about sharing, moron? I want the whole thing.Now are you going to give me that sweetroll, or am I going to give you a knuckle sandwich?" (Butch DeLoria's dialogue) Note: The "script notes" for the last line is "tough-guy 10 year old".
↑Butch DeLoria: "My mom made me come to your stupid party, but don't expect me to hang out with you. Get lost, loser." (Butch DeLoria's dialogue)
↑Butch DeLoria: "So what do you think we should call our gang? It's got to be totally killer, though." (Butch DeLoria's dialogue)
↑Paul Hannon Jr.: "Hey, how about the Vault Dwellers? Get it?" Butch DeLoria: "Who wants to go around all day being called a 'Vault Dweller'? Sometimes I think you really are as dumb as you look." (Paul Hannon Jr. and Butch DeLoria's dialogue)
↑Mr. Brotch: "You've surprised me, Butch. I didn't think you had it in you. Hairdresser! Who would have thunk it?" (Edwin Brotch's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Ride with me, and we can rampage across the Wasteland." Butch DeLoria: "Whoa, hey, that's cool and all, but you're just a little too... intense, y'know? I mean, Butch is down for action, but you... You're a psycho!" (Butch DeLoria's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "You could join forces with me, if you'd like." Butch DeLoria: "What? A goody-two-shoes like you could never make it in a real gang! You want to hang with a Tunnel Snake like me, you gotta be hard." (Butch's companion dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Why do you need my help, anyway? Afraid of a few Radroaches?" Butch DeLoria: "Well... yeah, so I hate Radroaches. So what? I tried to go back in to help her, I swear I did! But I just can't do it! So I'm begging you, please help her. I don't know what I'd do without my mom." (Butch DeLoria's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Come along with me, and we'll make an awesome gang." Butch DeLoria: "I really wish I could, man, but three's a crowd, you know? I'll just stay here for now. Tunnel snakes rule!" (Butch DeLoria's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What kind of surprise?" James: "The Overseer gave you your Pip-Boy, and you're old enough to do some work. So I figure you’re old enough for this. Your own BB gun! It's a little old, but it should work perfectly. Jonas found it down here. It was in pretty rough shape -- took us a good three months to find the parts to get it working again. You know how tough it is to find a spring that small? Good thing Butch "misplaced" that switchblade of his. Ha ha ha! So, what do you think? Want to give it a try?" (James' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Let's talk about how close you're following me." Butch DeLoria: "If you wanna get closer to me, that's all you gotta say, girl." (Butch DeLoria's dialogue) Note: This line is only available to a female Lone Wanderer.
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Butch, I need you to go into that chamber and turn on the purifier." Butch DeLoria: "That chamber? Right there? With all the radiation? Man, no way. I'll end up dead. Or worse. I could be one of them Ghouls! Ain't gonna happen." (Butch's companion dialogue)
Non-game
↑Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.64: "Butch DeLoria Vault 101's resident bully and leader of the Tunnel Snakes, Butch masks his fear and sense of inadequacy about not having a father and having an alcoholic mother by becoming boorish and overbearing. Masking his shortfalls has stunted his secret desire to become a hairdresser." (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
↑Morrowind class quiz, question 9: "While in town the baker gives you a sweetroll. Delighted, you take it into an alley to enjoy only to be intercepted by a gang of three other kids your age. The leader demands the sweetroll, or else he and his friends will beat you and take it."
If the player character has Fawkes as a companion and enters the Muddy Rudder, Fawkes and Butch will instantly turn hostile towards each other.[verified]
